Safe or vault.



No. 679,382. Patented July 30, I90I.` H. D. HIBBARD.

SAFE (1R VAULT.

(Application led Feb., 20, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Shet l.

No Modal.)

No. 679,382. Patented .l'uly'30, |90I.

H. D. HIBBARD.

SAFE 0R VAULT.

(Application filed Feb. 20, IQOL) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2:A

.front of the safe.

"Nrrnn Sterns HENRY D. HIBBARD, OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR To HIBBARD,

SAFE OR VAU LT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 679,382, dated July 30, 1901. Application led February 20, 1901. Serial No. 48,091. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, HENRY D. H IBBARD, a citizen of the United States, residing in Plainiield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safe or Vault Doors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to safes or vaults, the object of the invention being to provide improved means for mounting and operating the door.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of this improved safe with its door swung open. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional View thereof with the door seated in its jamb. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the Fig. 4 is an edge view of the door; and Fig. 5 is a front view of the door and its hinge detached, with a part thereof broken away to more clearly show the actuating means.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts in the different figures of the drawings.

In the form thereof herein shown and described and which may be its preferred form, if desired, this improved safe comprises a body 2, which may be of any suitable form and construction and made of any suitable material; but in practice I make the same ofsome suitable hard material, such as manganese steel, and in one or more pieces or plates, as may be found desirable. In the form shown, however, it is made as an integral structure. This body has its front 3 provided with acircular doorway or opening Il, the jamb 5 of which is shown of relatively great length or depth and tapered or of gradually-decreasing diameter from its outer surface inwardly; This elongated jamb may be obtained in various ways. The walls of said openings are formed with a suitable annular step or shoulder 6.

The circular door 7, preferably made of the same material of which the body is formed and adapted to iit and turn within the dooropening, comprises a body 8, having arecess 9 formed in its outer face, thereby forming an annular ring or forwardly extending ange l0, within which forwardly-extending iiange is seated a ring or flange 12, it being fixed in said recess in any suitable manneras, for instance, by providing it with a web or plate 12 at its rear fitting into said recess 55 and secured therein in any desired manner. This ring 12 and its web or plate 12' are formed of a material somewhat different from that of which the dooris formed-as, for instance, of soft steel. This ring constitutes the means for supporting the door on its supportingbracket 14, shown as a crane-hinge hinged to the body and having upper and lower arms l5 and 16, provided with suitable sleeves or bearings 17, located in a vertical line substantially centrally of the door, and which sleeves receive pins or pintles 1S, carried by or secured to a member, shown herein as a plate 19, fitting over and covering the recess in the door, said plate having a hub or sleeve 20 for the reception of a spindle or projection 2l, formed on or secured to the plate or web l2', whereby the door may be rotated relatively to its supporting bracket or hinge. The spindle 21 and its bearing-sleeve are maintained properly assembled in the present instance by a washer 22 and bolt 23. It Will of course be understood that the hub could be carried by the plate 12 and the spindle by the plate 19.

The door is provided with an annular step or shoulder 13, corresponding with the step or shoulder 6 in the jamb of the doorway,

, whereby when the door is seated in the dooropening a close impervious joint is formed.

For rotating the door suitable means is provided, shown comprising gear mechanism, one member of which is located or formed on the inner surface of said door-flange, it in the present instance comprising rackteeth 24, located or formed on the inner surface of the flange l2, whereby when such part is rotated the door will likewise be rotated, and the other member of which gear mechanism comprises a gear or pinion 25, mounted to mesh with said rack-teeth 24: and shown having a polygonal end 26 projecting through the plate 19, whereby it is in position to be, rotated by a suitable wrench or key.

The door and the body, each of which is shown as an integral structure, are provided with suitable interlocking means or devices IOC proj-ect radially therefrom, and the other set, 30", on the periphery of the door, likewise to project radially therefrom, they preferably being in the form of mutilated screw-threads, a plurality thereof carried by the body and a corresponding number by the door. Each lug or thread is preferably of the same length and separated from each other lengthwise by spaces of the same length as the threads j cular door adapted to fit and turn in said openthemselves.

The amount of rotation to release the door may depend upon the judgment of the operator, or suitable limiting means may be provided for this purpose.

In use it will be seen thatl when the door is inserted in the doorway and rotated the lugs or projections 30, shown herein as mutilated screw-threads, will engage the lugs or projections 30 of the jamb, passing behind such lugs, and so prevent the outward movement of the door, and owing to the inclination of such lugs the inclined-walls of the lcoacting lugs will be brought into engagement with each other, with the result that the door is drawn under considerable pressure into the doorway.

To maintain the door against rotary movement, suitable locking mechanism may be provided. In the form shown this locking mechanism may comprise suitable bolt mechanism, operated in any desired manner. The

bolts may be located in a recess 35, formed in the rear face of the door, the flange 36, formed by such recess, having bolt-openings through which the bolts project.

Suitable adjusting devices for the door, such as set-screws, will be furnished in practice, whereby the door can be adjusted relatively to its seat.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the door is maintained seated in the jamb by means of interlocking devices, comprising two sets, one set carried by the door and the other set by the jamb, and although each set is shown as comprising two series of devices it is to be understood that any desired number may be employed, so that instead of having two series of devices on the door and the jamb, respectively, only one series need be provided, and each of such series may comprise any desired number of devices.

I vclaim as my inven'tionl. The combination with the body of a safe having a circular door-opening therein, a circular door adapted to fit and turn in said opening, having a recess in its outer surface forming an annular fiange, and interlocking devices other than continuous screw-threads on said body and door, of a fixed ring on which the door is supported located within said recess and inclosed by said fiange, a pinion mounted on said ring, a shaft for operating said pinion, and rack-teeth on the inner surface of said liange with which said pinion engages, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the body of a safe having a circular door-opening therein, a circular door adapted to fit and turn in said opening and having a recess in its outer face forming an annular iiange, and interlocking devices other than continuous screw-threads on said body and door, of a iiange located in said recess, one of said anges carrying gear-teeth; and a gear in mesh with said teeth.

3. The combination, with the body of a safe having a circular door-opening therein, a ciring and having a recess in its outer surface forming an annular dange, and interlocking devices other than continuous screw-threads on said body and door, of a flange or ringlocated in said recess and inclosed by said annular fiange, one of said flanges carrying gear-teeth on its inner surface; and a gear in mesh with said teeth.

4. The combination, with the body of a safe having a circular door-opening therein, a circular door adapted to fit and turn in said opening and having a recess in its outer surface forming an annular flange, and interlocking devices other than continuous screw-threads on said body and door, of a iiange or ring supported in said recess; and gear mechanism for rotating said door.

5. The combination, with the body of a safe having a circular door-opening therein, a circular door adapted to fit and turn in said open- IOO ing and having a recess in its outer surface forming an annular dange, and interlocking devices other than continuous screw-threads on said body and door; of gear mechanism supported in said recess formed by said fiange for rotating said door.

6. The combination, with a safe-body having a circular door-opening, a circular door adapted 'to fit and turn in said opening and having a recess in its outer surface forming IIO an annular iiange, and interlocking devices other than continuous screw-threads on said body and door, of a fixed ring located in said recess and inclosed by said flange and carrying gear-teeth on its inner surface; and a gear in mesh with said gear-teeth.

7. In a safe, the combination of a safe-body having a circular doorway, a circular door adapted to fit and turn therein and having a forwardly-extending member or flange forming a recess in the front face thereof, interlocking devices other than continuous screwthreads on said body and door; a member located in said recess and having a spindle, one of said members carrying gear-teeth; a member having a hub for the reception of such spindle; a hinge secured to said hub member and body; and a gear in mesh with said gearteeth.

8. In a safe, the combination of a safe-body having a circular doorway; a circular door adapted to t and turn therein and having a forwardly-extending flange forming a recess in the front face thereof; interlocking devices other than continuous screw-threads on said body and door; a flange seated in said forwardly-extending flange, said door having gear-teeth at one side of said flange and also having a forwardly-projecting member; a member having a rearwardly-projectin g member, one of said members being formed as a hub and the other as a spindle projecting into such hub; a hinge pivotally secured to said plate and body; and a gear in mesh with said gear-teeth to rotate the door.

9. In a safe, the combination of a safe-body having a circular doorway; a circular door` adapted to fit and turn therein and having a forwardly-extending flange forming a recess in the front face thereof; interlocking devices other ihan continuous screw-threads on said body and door; a ilange located in said recess and having gear-teeth on its inner surface and provided with a projection or spindle; a member having a hub for the reception of such spindle; a hinge pivotally secured to said member and body; and a gear mounted in position to mesh with said gearteeth to rotate the door.

10. In a safe,the combination of a safe-body having a circular doorway; a circular door adapted to fit and turn in said doorway and having a recess in its outer face forming an annular flange, said door and doorway having interlocking devices other than continuous screw-threads means for supporting the door and embodying a ring or ilange located Within said recess and inclosed by said flange, one of said parts having gear-teeth; and a gear for rotating said door.

1l. The combination, with the body of a safe having a circular door-opening therein, a circular door adapted to fit and turn in said opening and having a recess in its outer surface forming an annular flange, and interlocking devices other than continuous screwthreads on said body and door, of a ilange or ring supported in said recess, and means for imparting rotary movement to said door.

l2. In a safe,the combination of a safe-body having a circular door-opening, a circular door adapted to lit and turn therein and having a forwardly-extending ilange forming a recess in the front face thereof; interlocking devices other than continuous screw-threads on said body and door; a member located in said recess and having a forwardly-projecting part; a member having a rearwardly projecting part, one of said parts being formed as a hub and the other as a spindle projecting into such hub; a hinge pivotally secured to that member having the rearwardly-projecting part and to said body; and means for rotating the door. j

13. In a safe, the combination of a safe-body having a circular door-opening, a circular door adapted to fit and turn therein and having a forwardly-extending flange forming a recess in the front face thereof; interlocking devices other than continuous screw-threads on said body and door; a member located in said recess and having a forwardly-projecting part; a member having a rearwardly-projecting part, one of said parts being formed as a hub and the other as a spindle projecting into such hub; a hinge pivotally secured to that member having the rearwardly-projecting part and to said body; and gear mechanism for rotating the door.

HENRY D. I-IIBBARD.

Witnesses:

C. A. WEED, OHAs. FINKLER. 

